Cushioning device for the handle bars of motor vycles, bicycles, and like vehicles employing handle bars



Sept. 25, 1923, 1,48,835

M. ROSEN CUSHIONING DEVICE FOR THE HANDLE BARS OF MOTOR CYCLES, BICYCLES,

' AND LIKE VEHICLES EMPLOYING HANDLE BARS Filed April 6, 1922 W masses Patented Sept. 25, 1923.

ees

rea est MEYER nosn'n, or ntooivxrneron; ILLINOIS, A's'srenoa ro THE cusnron HANDLE Ban 00., on BLOOMINGTON, rumors;

onsnroivme nnvrcn r03, ran HANDLE BARS or oron CYCLES, nroyonns, Amy

LIKE VEHICLES EIVIPLOYING HANDLE BABE.

Application filed Aprilfi; 1922. Serial No. 549,975.

To all whom it may concern:

Bexit known'that MEYER RosnN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at 1023 Folsom'St. Bloomington, in the county of liicLean and State of Illinois "has invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Cushioning Devices for the Handle Bars of.Motor Cycles, Bicycles; and like Vehicles Employing Handle Bars, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a cushioning device for the handle bars, of motorcycles bicycles and likevehi'cles employing handle .bars."'

same for'support and co-action'respectivelv' with the steering wheel post'and the rocker member whereby through the employment of such spring and the detailed relationing of parts, wider latitude of verticalmovement of the rocker member ismade possible and'under a more uniform tensioning than is possible in connection with the employment of coil springs that'have heretofore been in use for a similar purpose, resulting in a softer cushioning action to the relief of the rider and also functioning to'minimize to the last degree the wabbling tendency of the vehicle wheel that usually attends excessive jars.

The invention also includes details of construction andspecial combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1, is a side elevation showing my device attached to a vehicle with a part broken away to show interior structure utilized for fixing the stem portion of a head member tothe' steering post of the vehicle and also showing in solid and dotted lines several relative positionings of the rocker member and handle bars.

previously em- I Figure 2, is a 'detail'side view of. a rocker memberpv Figure 3, shows inplan and side elevat on the structure ofa spacing bearing designed, for relatloning a centering or pivoting pm head member. 7 7 e V Figure-4c, 1s a view :in plan and side elebetween a head and rocker member withsaid vationofa flanged seat to be relationed to the'stem portion of avehicle 505mm. utilized as a-seat for the volute spring. Fig. 5 is aplan view partly in section, to the right of'Fi'g. 1.-- r i Referring to the drawingsllO refers generally to'a diagrammatic showing of abicycle frame and 11 to the front fork of the 7 same. 12 is the ordinary and usual steering post of the motorcycle and 'similar handle bar bearingvehicles; 13refers generally to a bicycle head; 141 to the stem portion of saidhead which hasthe ordinary and usual slotted fashioning as at 15in the lower portion'thereofand 16 is the-forwardly'extending portion of'saidhead having the 'ordinary and; usual circular seating portion 17 for the handle bars and the relatively spacing lug portions 18 thereon to accommodate variable spacing bymeans of west screwas 19 to secure the handle bars of varying re- I spective diameters within the 'seat in the head. 20 is a'bolt'associated in the usual way with the head and the stem portion thereof and in association witha wedge nut 21 adapted for seating inthe slotted end of 7 said stem whereby the wedge Inembenmay be drawn 'into the end of the stem for the purpose of expanding it to effecta permanentrelationing of said stem with the bicycle post whereby turningzof the stem throughthe movement of the head member will effect a"correspondingturning of the steering post'member. 22 are the ordinary and usual handle bars employed in connec tion with vehicles of the class above ndicated.

' So farI have only described parts which are standard with vehicles of the class indicated. Referring now-to mechanism constituting my present invention 30is a spac ing orwasher member supported upon the closure cap 31 of theball bearinglhousing that is commonly-muse in vehicles of this class. 32 is a flanged seating member associated with the stem portion of the bicycle head and supported upon washer member 30. 33 is a volute or flat metallic spring coiled in a spiral conical form (compressible in the direction of its axis) said spring being -seated at its base in seating member 32.

3% refers generally to a rocker member, the same comprising rearward longitudinally slotted reach portlon adapted, through its slotted portion to embrace the stem portion member 13; However, inirelating my cushioning attachment to the standard head of a motorcycle and vehicles of a like class, the circular opening as 17 in such heads. is adopted as a centering seat for the pivotal connection between reach 16 of saidhead and my rocker'member 85, but to utilize seat 17 for this purpose however it is necessary that the spaced flanged bushings as 41 be interposed as a filler for the handle bar space, said bushings being provided with perforations alining respectively and also'with the perforations in members 40 of the; rocker member 34. In relating the rocker member to the head member the slotted reach portion of the rocker member is caused'to embrace stem 1a of the head, bushings 41 are seated in the opening 17 in normal handle bar seat of said head. Then setscrew 19 is operated to effect impingement and holding of said bushings firmly in place. Then the bolt as 42 is'entered through the alining perforations of the associated parts and a nut i3 is applied to complete and maintain such union ofparts whereby a pivotal'relation is established between the head and the rocking member.

In the normalrelationing of parts reach member 35 of'the rocker member isheld in contact with the member 16 of the head but when the vehicle is in use and the rider applies weight to the handle bars the rocker memberwill be actuated to depress reach portion 35 thereof under the resistance of the volute spring 33resulting in a cushioning action against vibrations, said cushioning action being rendered specially efiective tends to minimize shocks and jars to the last degree because of the capability of. the volute spring to be depressedsubstantially to the point :ofsupport' of'its lowest portion without injury to the spring or its parts and with a comparatively small degree of variable pressure as compared with the action of ordmary compressible OOIl'SPIIDgS.

The general functioning purposes of the.

device herein is so well known and the proceeding description has been so completely detailed as to parts and improvements, their co-relationing and functioning, that it is not thought thatfurther detailed description of the operation of the device is necessary.

I have shown herein the preferred form of embodiment of my invention. However, form and arrangement of parts may be varied anda perfectlyoperableand usable device he provided and therefore, I do not desire to be limited to'form ordetailsas herein disclosed but claim all forms and detailed constructions that embody the principles of disclosure herein made. I

It will be noticed that my spring member 33 is not enclosed and I have made it'so purposely that other springs of varied tenf sion may be interchangeable therewith.

There is an obvious result inthis thata spring of, suitable tension-for the rider may 7 be replaced Without having to alter, in-any way, the'bicycle; 1 WVhat I claim is: 7'

1. Ina device-of the class described, in combination, a standard head member comprising a stem adapted to bepermanently related .to a steering post and a handle bar of cushioning means for the latter compris ing a rocker member provided with arearward-1y extending slotted portion adapted to embrace the-stem of the head'member and a forwardly extending portion fashioned with a circular seat and coacting j aw members to' facilitate thesupport of the handle bars, meansfor actuating the jaw membersfor fixing the handle bar in said seat, said rocker member being provided with laterally extending relatively spaced and perforated attachment members, perforated bushing members associated with the handle bar opening in-the head 'member,

l l and nut member for pivotally relating the'attachment members of the rocker member to the bushing members of the head,

a supporting member related to the stem; portion of the head member and a resilient member interposed between said support and the rearwardly extending member of the rocker member;

2. In a-device of the class described, in

combination, a standard head member, comprising a stem and a. forwardly extending member, fashioned atits outward portion with a handle bar supportingseat, a rocker member fashioned with a-plvoted seat intermediate its ends and provided with a rearwardly extending slotted portion to embrace the stem member anda portionextendlngzforwardlyof the pivot center 'fash;

' ioned at its outward end with a handle bar the slotted portion of the rocker member in contact with the forwardly extending portion of the head member.

3. In ardevice of'the class described, in combination, a. post member, an arm on said post provided with a pivot seat, a rockable member fashioned Witha pivoting portion intermediate its ends, the rear end of said member being slotted to embrace the post member fashioned to for pivoting the rockable member upon the arm. and a resilient member suitably supand the forward end thereof engage a handle bar, means to normally hold it in elevated position, from whichit may be rocked whenforoe is applied to the handle bars. I 1 v 4. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a front fork of a biqycle, a bolt member fixedtherein, an arm member fixed to the upper 7 being provided with a pivot seat, a rockable member fashioned intermediate its end with a pivot seat, the rearward portion from said seat being slotted toembrace the bolt with a handle bar seat, means for pivoting of the bolt, its forward end i v member and its forward portion" fashioned the rockable member to the arm member and a resilient member interposed between the slotted end portion of the rookable member and the fork.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MEYER ROSEN. 

